OSX 10.6.8 upgrade disactivated my ethernet port.

After several weeks of using safe mode as my normal working condition, I decided to do a fresh Mac OS X Lion install from Lion USB Stick.

1. At first I imported the Time Machine Backups directly after formatting "Macintosh HD".
   Next Day: Ethernet: Cable not connected ("Entweder ist das Kabel für „Ethernet“ nicht angeschlossen oder das Gerät am anderen Ende antwortet nicht.") --> But cable ist connected and the lan is working!
   
2. Second: I used Time Machine only for personal Data. Reinstall of all the programms manually.
   The same problem!
   
3. Third and last:
   I've done all manually: Formatting, new install from USB-Stick, all programms, all of my personal data
   The same f***** problem.
   
4. I've no idea what to do next? Is this a warranty case (in case of german law, 9 month old iMac)?

Is there any Apple Support out there in the Community who is reading our problems and is able to help us?

Since your iMac is in the warranty period, take it to the apple pros and have them tell you what's going on. I would have done this, but mine was just out of warranty.

I have a date at the Genius Bar next Friday. I'll will keep you informed.

Greetings

I am having this issue with my Mac Mini 2010. It worked fine under 10.6.3, but when upgraded to 10.6.8, Ethernet becomes disabled. Ethernet status claims that the network cable is not plugged in. I try the same cable on a MacBook Pro and it works fine. I try another known good cable and it works fine on the Macbook Pro, but not on the Mini. The problem follows when upgrading to Lion. If I revert back to 10.6.3, all is fine with the Mac Mini Ethernet port. This seems to indicate a problem with the Mini Ethernet port and 10.6.8+. The nearest Apple store is 350 miles away. Any help or new information would be appreciated.

Short status update:

it takes a lot of time and it was a complicated process because the Apple Service Provider did not finally figured out if it's a software or hardware issue. But in the end my Mac got a new Logic/Mainboard and works now fine.

That's not a satisfactory reply for most of yours without valid warranty.

Hi there.

I'm having this same issue with my iMac (OS X 10.6.8) and every time it happends it's solved by shutting down and turning on the computer. Is there any solution for it (since last November)?

A friend of mine told me he had something like this happening in his old PC. The problem had something to do with electrical discharge going over the network cable into the ethernet card. The main board would then shut down the PCI connection, what would look like a missing card on the system profiler.

So, now i'm testing something different. Every time i need to turn on my iMac, I first unplugg it from the power line, the plugg it in again and then turn it on.

Every time I do this it turns out OK, with ethernet connection up and running. Can you try this and see if it works?

I'm gessing that something that is connected to the same power line of my Mac or Modem is messing with the electrical power... External HDD? Printers? other laptops? other devices?

It's kind of a desperate approach, isn'it?

Best regards,

Edu

Sorry to say, as well, that the only way mine got fixed was with a new logic board. Now works faultlessly.

John

That's really unfortunate.

I'll have it returned to Apple, since it's still in warranty.

Thanks for your help.

All the best,

Edu

Oh how I wish I had read this thread before I updated from 10.6.3 to 10.6.8 this morning! I've searched the Internet after "the problem" prevented me from printing to my HP LaserJet 4050n but no luck. Still no solution to "the problem"..?!

For me the best solution was to buy a $19 Kensington 10/100 USB ethernet hub. It's a fix, not a solution, but it's nice I don't have to reach around back to plug in a USB drive. 😟

Oh well.

Sorry but no!

I spent this week trying to get some sense on this one. When I was packing my iMac to deliver it to the store where I bought it, I've disconect all the USB/FW cables, and when I was about to disconect my ethernet cable I thought I would give it a last chance and turn it on... and the ethernet card started green! And the day after, and another day, and another... and i started to think the problem was on the external disks, external sound card or printer. I've keep them all disconected and suddenly... today... the ethernet card went off again on startup 😟

So this time i'll pack it for good and send it to the support.

Good luck

Edu

I'm desparate and about to do something very drastic - but before I do it allow me a question. Are (m)any printing or other problems known with the 10.6.3 udate? If not I intend to upgrade an old back up (10.5.8 -> 10.6.3) on an external drive so I can use my printer again.

Thank you for your reply!

10.6.3 didn't seem to have problems only the 10.6.8 update. Everything else is working fine, but I don't have a pritner either, I'm also using Lion 10.7.3.

I can't believe that the motherboard is the problem. It must be the 10.6.8 update. I can still start-up from 10.5.8 on an external drive and all is OK, though the PPC stuff makes my Mac a lot slower. Apple, are we left in the cold..?!

I completely agree, but right now that doesn't get the ethernet port working. It's funny because my other two iMacs upgraded just fine. I wonder if Apple changed the ethernet chip/company on the new iMacs and they don't support the chip in the new drivers???